Adventures in the Salafi Capital of America

Alhamdulillah, we made it back from an exhausting visit to see my Rent, Grand-Rents and not too many friends (actually none, but I tried). Coming home, is sometimes the opposite of comfortable. In contrast to Zaynab's experience, my visits feel like, well visits to some place other than the house I grew up in. Since, reverting to Islam, graduating school and really alienating my parents by getting married, my mother has been on a crusade to TAKE BACK HER HOUSE. Meaning, she has cleansed every room (except for the bathroom) of the sense of HOME that I once knew for 18 years. It started with my old bedroom, which is her new haven for her pink and green sorority clutter. So instead of a room with a bed for us to inhabit, we are now relegated to the basement den surviving on an airmatress/sofa bed combo. Secondly, the living no longer has a sofa, but a couch. What is the difference between a sofa and couch, well the later is something you can actually sit on. The rest of the furniture expensive, antique and easy to brake. I spend much of my visit steering the kids away from the danger zones, picking up broken stuff and assessing whether it can be glued back together. But we survived and we won't have to do it again until Spring.

On to more adventures. We went to the Zoo, masha'Allah we were able to see the tiger up close, a little too close for Ms. Mara's liking. The primate house had a male gorilla, who was putting on a show, by running from one end of the exhibit and slamming himself up against the glass. The zoo's Tree House was open and Ms. Pesa made a penguin paper bag and Ms. Mara's wanted to eat the glue sticks, nothing has changed. The Tree house was a nice break from walking outside, until Ms. Pesa couldn't resist trying to leap into the stream habitat. Alhamdulillah, she only got her sleeves wet up to elbow.
The next day my mother decided to treat us to Barnes and Nobles. I love books and usually I never get to buy my kids new books. We only borrow from the library. I succeeded in picking out some excellent titles and two on my new curiousity, Kumon (anyone want to talk about it, please post.) Only after, an alarm was set-off, a public discussion on hynies was broad casted in the crowded ladies room and a bottle of Poland Spring was emptied on the floor near the check out, we were finally finished.
As usual, I didn't make it to the masjid and likewise, I didn't get to see any of my friends, but I tried.